The Adam Friedland Show
Episode Title: 2 Chainz Talks Weed, Intuition, and Becoming Himself
Air Date: March 25, 2026
Guest: 2 Chainz (Grammy-winning rapper, author)
Host: Adam Friedland
Overview
This episode features a wide-ranging and sometimes chaotic conversation between Adam Friedland and rapper/author 2 Chainz. The discussion explores 2 Chainz's new book, The Voice in My Head Is God, his upbringing in College Park, Atlanta's rise in hip-hop, personal reinvention, intuition, generational change, and candid stories from both artists’ careers. Interspersed with humor, banter, and some weed-fueled detours, the episode oscillates between introspective insights and playful tangents, ultimately centering on the journey of growth, intuition, and trusting oneself.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Opening & Setting the Tone
- Opening Energy: Adam admits to struggling to find his footing with the unflappable, self-assured 2 Chainz.
"Mr. Chains was immune to my charms as an interviewer. He deftly dodged each query as I scrambled on my back heel to find a way in." (04:34)
2. Basketball, Atlanta Roots, and Local Pride
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Growing Up Tall and Playing Ball:
- 2 Chainz confirms he’s 6’5” (“6’7” in Balenciagas”), played guard, and likens his game to Atlanta star Anthony Edwards.
"I'm 6'5. And then with these shoes on, I might be about 6'7." (06:24)
"Ant is nasty… We just have great personalities in Atlanta." (07:20)
- 2 Chainz confirms he’s 6’5” (“6’7” in Balenciagas”), played guard, and likens his game to Atlanta star Anthony Edwards.
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Shared NBA Top 5:
- Both agree on Shaq and Steph Curry among all-time greats.
"We got the same [top five]." (08:13)
- Both agree on Shaq and Steph Curry among all-time greats.
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Community Ties:
- Minority owner of the College Park Skyhawks, close to his high school.
"It feels wonderful, man, being, I don't know, five miles from my high school... it feels like I was at the right place at the right time." (11:32)
- Minority owner of the College Park Skyhawks, close to his high school.
3. Atlanta’s Hip-Hop Evolution
- Passing the Torch:
"Atlanta has went through different periods and different eras, but for the most part, it's been sustainable… we keep passing the torch to the next… it's like a lifeline." (13:38)
4. Early Hustle & Pre-Fame Persona
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Known for Ball and Hustle Before Fame:
"I was known in Atlanta not necessarily for my music… I played basketball, I hustled… a lot of people already assumed that I was doing something, going to do something, or going to be something early on." (14:52)
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Showing Off Early Cars in College:
- Boasts about having three cars during college days, dispelling myth that he was lying about it.
"I really been having it…" (16:03)
- Boasts about having three cars during college days, dispelling myth that he was lying about it.
5. The New Book: The Voice in My Head Is God
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Not a Religious Book – About Intuition:
"It's about intuition. It's about me using intuition as a sixth sense… when I say God, it's me giving credit to someone much higher than myself, me giving credit to something higher than my ego." (17:43)
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Goal: To help people trust their own divine guidance and make better decisions.
"Hopefully it helps someone…" (17:43)
6. Weed, Street Life & Rap Origins
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Humor and Rituals:
- Several comedic asides about smoking weed, sharing puffs, and Adam admitting weed is “not for everybody.”
- 2 Chainz teases about Adam’s “fogged up glasses” after hitting his weed. (04:14, 26:33)
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Origins Story with Cash Money:
- First connections to Lil Wayne and Baby involved serving weed at the studio, leading to later collaborations.
"I was in the studio recording and Cash Money… I was selling some…" (25:46)
"I really do need that $900. And then he paid you." (29:23)
- First connections to Lil Wayne and Baby involved serving weed at the studio, leading to later collaborations.
7. Reinvention and Brand Building
- Why Rebrand From “Tity Boi” to “2 Chainz”?
"Big businesses rebrand every three to five years… I treat the 2 Chainz brand as a business." (31:46)
8. Intuition, Experience & Growth
- What “The Voice” Means:
"Sometimes the voice in my head, which is, I assume, is intuition. I assume that it's God because they say God is inside of you…" (17:43)
- The maturity to trust his own gut emerged with age and experience.
"I couldn't have wrote a book like that at 20 some years old, go through some stuff…" (63:08)
"The voice in my head has helped me navigate through some of the toughest times and turmoil in my life." (62:54)
- The maturity to trust his own gut emerged with age and experience.
9. Collaboration, Competition & Legacy
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Bodying Guest Verses:
- Confidently boasts about his performance on “Mercy” and other features.
"No, I know. I'm fire. I'm like that." (46:59)
"Yeah, I had the best, you know?" (47:12)
- Confidently boasts about his performance on “Mercy” and other features.
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Learning from Legends:
- Speaks on getting advice from Kanye (who pushed him to raise his feature price) and listening over talking when around greats like Wayne or Kobe.
"He has a very high level of everything… When I'm around Wayne or whoever… I come with my eyes and my ears open." (48:29) "I do less talking when I'm around certain individuals and more listening." (48:54)
- Speaks on getting advice from Kanye (who pushed him to raise his feature price) and listening over talking when around greats like Wayne or Kobe.
10. On Family, Wealth, and Raising Kids
- Teaching Values:
"I teach my kids to really be rich from the inside out. So they got a good foundation inside... as they get older, we'll take our hands off the steering wheel... let them learn on their own." (57:01)
11. More on the Book and Intuition
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Pitching the Book with Passion:
"It's very introspective and it's very detailed as far as my life experiences… it's not necessarily like a religious book… this piece of literature can help my community navigate through their daily experiences by listening to the divine guidance… from business decisions, heartbreak, what shoes you should wear…" (57:47)
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Why Some Stories Didn’t Make the Book:
- “Ultimately, the book is me telling stories through the lens of this voice in my head and how… ‘something told me’…” (59:11)
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On Accepting Intuition:
"When you just love something, it's hard to really, you know, find that end all... you wake up every day thinking, you know, you could take it up a notch." (61:49)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Intuition Being God:
"The voice in my head, which is, I assume, is intuition. I assume that it's God... So this is just my presentation to the world. And hopefully it helps someone make decisions, helps them make decisions based on their own divine guidance."
— 2 Chainz (17:43) -
On Wealth and Ownership:
"There's no reason to have a lot of money unless you have your own squad."
— Adam (11:55) -
On Rebranding:
"I treat the 2 Chainz brand as a business... So every two to three years, if it's not logo, it's something I'm doing to adjust the marketing... bring new light to me."
— 2 Chainz (31:46) -
On Fan Recognition:
"I would go to different cities... people would just fan out, man... Before I even got my record deal, I started realizing that this was gonna be a little bit larger than I expected."
— 2 Chainz (30:30) -
Competitive Nature of Features:
"It's like Glenn Gary, Glen Ross... all the best actors... Like Mercy, you're on that track with the other best..."
— Adam (53:51) -
Regarding Book’s Positive Vibes:
"This book about positive vibes, man. Uplifting."
— 2 Chainz (64:36)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [06:04] Height, Basketball background, NBA comparisons
- [11:25] 2 Chainz as minority owner of College Park Skyhawks
- [12:26] What College Park/Atlanta taught him
- [17:43] The Book: The Voice in My Head is God, intuition
- [25:46] Early cash money connections, weed dealings, getting paid by Baby
- [31:46] Rebranding from “Tity Boi” to “2 Chainz”
- [46:59] Guest verses, competitive spirit, “Mercy”
- [48:29] What Kanye taught him; learning by listening
- [57:47] Book pitch and detailed explanation
- [62:54] When 2 Chainz realized intuition guided his life
Overall Tone & Dynamic
- Playful & Self-Deprecating: Adam’s persistent insecurity and attempts to ingratiate himself mingles with his admiration for 2 Chainz.
- Confident & Grounded: 2 Chainz asserts his approach to life and career, answering most questions off the cuff—sometimes dodging, sometimes hitting straight.
- Reflective & Motivational: Both find moments to touch on the value of community, family, self-belief, and intuition.
- Humor Amid Chaos: The “piff” (weed) segments provide comic relief and intensify the improvisational, sometimes meandering energy.
Final Section: Parting Advice
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2 Chainz to Adam:
"Woo. Get. Get security." (55:48)
"You gotta chill out... It's not for everybody." (55:51, 56:00) -
Why Trust Your Gut:
"Trust your gut, yeah." (65:03)
"I've had a couple of those crossroads... at that particular time, it probably led me somewhere that I felt was dark, ultimately leading me to the light... pivots that have came through that process." (65:16)
Summary
This episode blends light-hearted stoner banter, grounded wisdom, and candid storytelling. 2 Chainz’s central message is about trusting intuition, staying authentic, and evolving over time—reflected in both his book and life story. Adam oscillates between irreverence and earnest curiosity, ultimately drawing out insights about resilience, reinvention, and the journey to becoming oneself.